Data protecting method capable of effectively recording protection information and memory using thereof

Abstract

A data protecting method for a memory, which comprising a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory for storing data and data protection information, comprises the following steps. Firstly, load the data protection information to the volatile memory from the non-volatile memory. Next, protect the data stored in the memory according to the data protection information stored in the volatile memory.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A data protecting method for a memory, the memory comprising a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory for storing data and data protection information, the data protecting method comprising the steps of:
 loading the data protection information to the volatile memory from the non-volatile memory; and 
 protecting the data stored in the memory according to the data protection information stored in the volatile memory. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing a temporary modification operation on the data protection information and protection selecting information stored in the volatile memory in response to a temporary modification command. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 performing a permanent modification operation on the data protection information stored in the non-volatile memory in response to a permanent modification command. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
 loading the data protection information, after the permanent modification operation is performed, to the volatile memory. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of protecting the data stored in the memory comprises:
 receiving a data change command corresponding to a memory cell in the memory; 
 determining a protection solution currently applied to the memory according to the protection selecting information; and 
 judging whether the memory cell is protected according to the data protection information stored in the volatile memory. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 changing the data stored in the memory cell in response to the data change command when the memory cell is not being protected; and 
 triggering an operation event when the memory cell is protected. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the protection selecting information indicates that the protection solution currently applied to the memory is one of a block protection solution and a sector protection solution. 
     
     
       8. A memory, comprising:
 a non-volatile memory for storing data and data protection information; 
 a volatile memory for storing the data protection information loaded from the non-volatile memory; and 
 a control circuit for loading the data protection information to the volatile memory, 
 wherein the control circuit protects the data stored in the memory according to the data protection information stored in the volatile memory. 
 
     
     
       9. The memory according to  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit performs a temporary modification operation on the data protection information and protection selecting information stored in the volatile memory in response to a temporary modification command. 
     
     
       10. The memory according to  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit performs a permanent modification operation on the data protection information stored in the non-volatile memory in response to a permanent modification command. 
     
     
       11. The memory according to  claim 10 , wherein the control circuit further loads the data protection information, after the permanent modification operation is performed, to the volatile memory. 
     
     
       12. The memory according to  claim 8 , wherein the non-volatile memory comprises:
 a first protection data block for storing block protection information, wherein the control circuit performs a block protection operation on the memory in response to the block protection information; 
 a second protection information block for storing sector protection information, wherein the control circuit performs a sector protection operation on the memory in response to the sector protection information; and 
 a third protection information block for storing protection selecting information to indicate the control circuit to selectively read one of the block protection information and the sector protection information and performs a protection operation according to one of the block protection information and the sector protection information. 
 
     
     
       13. The memory according to  claim 8 , wherein the volatile memory is a SRAM.